Kjartan

Kjartan (died 878) was a Danish Viking ship captain under Earl Ragnar. In 866, he took part in the invasion of Northumbria, but he was banished from Ragnar's lands in Northymbre after his son Sven Kjartansson attempted to rape the slave Thyra. Kjartan and Sven retaliated by burning Ragnar to death, and Ragnar's adoptive son Uhtred of Bebbanburg set out to avenge his death. Kjartan became the ruler of Dunholm (Durham) during the 870s, and he sent spies to kill Uhtred at Cumberland in 878, but their quest failed. Ragnar the Younger assaulted Dunholm in 878, and he duelled Kjartan to the death, avenging his father.